truthamedia
New member
*Note: I am new to writing and would love constructive criticism on how I could improve with both my writing style and grammar. Also, I hauled *** through this trip so as not to be late to my gaining base so keep that in mind when you comment. The first leg of my trip was completed without a camera so no pictures. Sorry about that. Scroll through it and you will see a lot more pictures in the Canada/Alaska side of the trip.
Without further ado.....:
You are given the option to go on an all expenses paid road trip complete with beautiful scenery, wildlife, and women; AND get 11 days off from work. Or you can be given a plane ticket (coach of course) complete with crying babies, crowded airports, and one bag of peanuts. Which do you choose?
I thought so.... I chose the road trip as well.
The US Air Force has been pretty good to me since I joined about six months ago. Good food (free food), decent pay, and awesome benefits. Being the land of the free means that when the government wants to relocate me to a new duty station, i get to choose the method with which I want to get myself and my things there. Being that my new duty station is Elmendorf AFB AK and considering that I had just bought my new to me Suburban, i felt that is was meant to be.
So I prepared for the long journey ahead of me with gusto. I got a diagnosis on what needed done with the Suburban, I bought emergency gear for the just-in-case factor, and I put on some bumper stickers! I knew that I would be in good shape money wise because I was going to be sleeping in the 'burb' for the trip.
Of course since the Air Force is part of the government, everything has to be difficult. The paperwork needed to even begin the trip is extensive. But I took it all in stride as I signed my signature ninety times.
And that was it! I was all packed up and ready to go! The first leg of the trip (To Washington State) was uneventful. So I wont cover it much. I left Texas and made it to Kaycee Wyoming the first day. That was a good 15 hour drive. Wyoming was covered in black ice and snow so it wasn't fun. Montana wasn't much different. Great scenery though in both states. Idaho was awesome and the weather held up nicely. I stopped in Pullman, WA to hang out with an old friend of mine who goes to WSU. It was good to actually have a meal that had taste and the company wasn't bad either. From there I went back to Spokane and stayed at the Fairchild inn at Fairchild AFB. It only cost me 40 bucks and I got a room with a kitchenette! The drive over snoqualmie pass was surprising. There wasn't much snow at all. Apparently the whole mountain range had a huge shortage this year. I did see some F-22s flying low over the pass which was an awesome surprise. It was as if they were saying, “welcome home Airman Brown!”
Once I got to my grandparents house I settled in with my parents in their fancy new fifth wheel trailer. The weather was good the whole time I was there and I loved every minute of it. It was nice seeing all of my family that I hadn't seen for almost a year. I was expecting so much to be different considering the changes I was experiencing down in Texas. However it all was the same. Which was good! I had my mama's home cooked meals, rode my Dad's Harley to my cousin Austin's wedding, and saw my friends who go to college at UW and a dance school in Seattle.
I went to Joint base Lewis-McChord to get groceries. Little did I know I was on the Army side going through an Army gate shopping at an Army commissary. The soldier at the gate was pretty straightforward. “Go back to where you belong.” And I did. I went home and enjoyed my last day with my family.
By the end of my stay there I was getting restless. I was ready to make the leg of the trip that I had been anticipating since I originally decided to drive up to Alaska. The wait was killing me! Not to say I wouldn't have stayed indefinitely if I had the option. Traveling and working for the greatest country in the world has its merits but being with my family would be my choice every time.
Without further ado.....:
You are given the option to go on an all expenses paid road trip complete with beautiful scenery, wildlife, and women; AND get 11 days off from work. Or you can be given a plane ticket (coach of course) complete with crying babies, crowded airports, and one bag of peanuts. Which do you choose?
I thought so.... I chose the road trip as well.
The US Air Force has been pretty good to me since I joined about six months ago. Good food (free food), decent pay, and awesome benefits. Being the land of the free means that when the government wants to relocate me to a new duty station, i get to choose the method with which I want to get myself and my things there. Being that my new duty station is Elmendorf AFB AK and considering that I had just bought my new to me Suburban, i felt that is was meant to be.
So I prepared for the long journey ahead of me with gusto. I got a diagnosis on what needed done with the Suburban, I bought emergency gear for the just-in-case factor, and I put on some bumper stickers! I knew that I would be in good shape money wise because I was going to be sleeping in the 'burb' for the trip.
Of course since the Air Force is part of the government, everything has to be difficult. The paperwork needed to even begin the trip is extensive. But I took it all in stride as I signed my signature ninety times.
And that was it! I was all packed up and ready to go! The first leg of the trip (To Washington State) was uneventful. So I wont cover it much. I left Texas and made it to Kaycee Wyoming the first day. That was a good 15 hour drive. Wyoming was covered in black ice and snow so it wasn't fun. Montana wasn't much different. Great scenery though in both states. Idaho was awesome and the weather held up nicely. I stopped in Pullman, WA to hang out with an old friend of mine who goes to WSU. It was good to actually have a meal that had taste and the company wasn't bad either. From there I went back to Spokane and stayed at the Fairchild inn at Fairchild AFB. It only cost me 40 bucks and I got a room with a kitchenette! The drive over snoqualmie pass was surprising. There wasn't much snow at all. Apparently the whole mountain range had a huge shortage this year. I did see some F-22s flying low over the pass which was an awesome surprise. It was as if they were saying, “welcome home Airman Brown!”
Once I got to my grandparents house I settled in with my parents in their fancy new fifth wheel trailer. The weather was good the whole time I was there and I loved every minute of it. It was nice seeing all of my family that I hadn't seen for almost a year. I was expecting so much to be different considering the changes I was experiencing down in Texas. However it all was the same. Which was good! I had my mama's home cooked meals, rode my Dad's Harley to my cousin Austin's wedding, and saw my friends who go to college at UW and a dance school in Seattle.
I went to Joint base Lewis-McChord to get groceries. Little did I know I was on the Army side going through an Army gate shopping at an Army commissary. The soldier at the gate was pretty straightforward. “Go back to where you belong.” And I did. I went home and enjoyed my last day with my family.
By the end of my stay there I was getting restless. I was ready to make the leg of the trip that I had been anticipating since I originally decided to drive up to Alaska. The wait was killing me! Not to say I wouldn't have stayed indefinitely if I had the option. Traveling and working for the greatest country in the world has its merits but being with my family would be my choice every time.